Taliesin smoothed down the front of his jacket, smiling politely at the young woman his mother was chatting with. The ball was in full swing. The brightly lit dance floor was filled with twirling couples. The musicians played well, and Taliesin was enjoying himself more than he’d thought he would.
Lucas kept trying to dance with Isabelle, who just shook her head and smiled prettily. Nicholas and Richard hadn’t broached the dance floor either, so Taliesin had retreated to their company after he’d danced a few times with Isabelle, once with Marissa, and once with Lucas (though he wasn’t sure it could be called dancing – it had mostly consisted of Lucas pulling him around crazily through the mass of other dancers while Taliesin had held on and tried not to fall down or step on anyone).
Nicholas and Richard were talking training tactics for their respective units of the guard – from what Taliesin had gathered, Nicholas was in charge of the city guard and Richard was in charge of the palace guard (which included Caspian and the other royal guards).
Taliesin sipped carefully at the goblet of wine he held, watching his mother out of the corner of his eye. She’d started across the room towards them, but had been waylaid by the young woman she was currently speaking with – Lady Miriam Deltrane, if Taliesin was remembering his nobles yet.
“Tal,” Lucas’s voice came from behind him loudly, making him jump. Taliesin nearly spilled his wine as Lucas snickered, leaning on his shoulder. “Look over at the main doors.”
Taliesin did as he was directed, nudging Lucas in the ribs with an elbow as he did so.
“Huh,” Taliesin said, fighting a smile as he caught sight of Daniel slipping into the crowd, his hand clasped with Vincent’s. Taliesin couldn’t see either of their faces from across the room, but their clasped hands had to mean something.
“You probably shouldn’t bug them for a few days,” Taliesin advised, smiling at Lucas as he took the goblet of wine from Taliesin’s fingers. He sniffed at it delicately before trying a sip.
“On the condition that you go seeking information for me,” Lucas bartered, taking a larger swallow of Taliesin’s wine. “You’d best go now, before mother gets over here. I don’t think she’s too happy with you hiding behind these dimwits.”
“Lucas,” Nicholas said sweetly, taking the goblet of wine from him and handing it back to Taliesin. “I suggest you apologize unless you want extra bruises the next time you show your face at the sparring ring.”
“I like bruises,” Lucas said with a grin. Taliesin smothered a smile, slipping away while they were still bickering. He avoided the direction his mother was coming from, stealing along the edges of the dance floor. He was curious himself, and he didn’t really want to face his mother’s exasperation.
The tea Lucas had given him had helped – he wasn’t as tired as he’d been after his bath, and his headache had diminished to a dull ache that wasn’t really bothering him. It just didn’t make him want to interact with people he was ever more likely to embarrass himself in front of. Family was safe – they laughed at him anyway, and didn’t really mean anything by it.
It took Taliesin longer than he thought it should to find Daniel and Vincent. They were settled in one of the less crowded corners of the ballroom, talking quietly about something together. Taliesin smiled a little, pausing a short distance away to watch them.
Daniel was speaking, his hands moving as he gestured along with his words. Vincent was watching with rapt attention, an almost shy smile hovering on his lips, and Taliesin decided to leave them be. He could find out more tomorrow, or when they weren’t so… focused on each other.
Taliesin made his way back around the ballroom, taking the long way to give his mother extra time to have finished scolding Nicholas and Richard for not partaking more in the festivities. He accidentally got caught in a conversation with Lord Edwin Renault about llama wool, of all things, but managed to extricate himself quickly.
“Did you find them?” Lucas asked as he approached, taking a generous swallow of the goblet of wine he’d managed to find in Taliesin’s absence. Richard had disappeared somewhere, but Nicholas was lounging on the artfully placed sofa still.
“Yes,” Taliesin answered, taking up a perch on the arm of the sofa. He balanced his wine goblet on the arm of the sofa, settling in comfortably before turning to meet Lucas’s expectant gaze. “Where’d Richard go?”
“He’s dancing with mother,” Nicholas supplied, looking smug. Probably he’d gotten out of it. “Father got distracted talking about something with one of the Laganese ambassadors.”
“Taliesin,” Lucas all but whined, poking Taliesin’s calf and taking another swallow of wine. “What did you find out?”
“How much wine have you drunk?” Taliesin asked, amused despite himself.
“Not too much. Still have to dance the last dance with Izzy,” Lucas said, winking. “The last dance is special, you know.”
“Mmhmm,” Taliesin agreed, meeting Nicholas’s eyes above Lucas’s head.
“You had better hope she doesn’t hear you calling her that,” Nicholas said slowly, smirking just a little as he nudged Lucas’s arm. “I hear she hates that nickname.”
“Taliesin, what did you find out,” Lucas said insistently, making an obscure gesture across the ballroom. “Did they give up on their stupidity?”
“I think so,” Taliesin said thoughtfully, taking pity on Lucas’s pouting face. “I didn’t ask, but they looked awfully cozy together.”
“You didn’t talk to them?” Lucas asked, aghast. “I send you out for information –”
“Good evening, your highnesses,” Isabelle greeted calmly, cutting off Lucas’s words. He sat up straight, nearly knocking over his goblet of wine.
“Lady Isabelle,” Lucas said, smiling the same little smile that Daniel had been giving to Vincent. Taliesin covered his mouth, faking a cough so he wouldn’t laugh (even as part of him wondered if he smiled like that at Mikhail).
“You look lovely this evening,” Lucas continued, and Taliesin caught Nicholas rolling his eyes. “Would you honor me with a dance?”
“Perhaps later,” Isabelle demurred, glancing at Taliesin. “Prince Taliesin, would you join me for a dance?”
Nicholas broke into his own coughing fit, and Taliesin blushed, but shook his head.
“I think I’ve trod upon your toes enough for one evening, my lady,” Taliesin declined, trying not to laugh at the look on Lucas’s face.
“Perhaps I can substitute?” Nicholas offered, standing up. “I may not be as pretty as my brothers, lady, but I do a mean two-step.”
Isabelle smiled brightly at Lucas. “I would be delighted to dance with you, Prince Nicholas.”
“Call me Nicholas,” Nicholas said gravely, taking her arm and leading her away. Lucas just stared, slack-jawed for a moment.
“She did say she might dance with you later?” Taliesin offered, and Lucas just shook his head.
“I’m going to marry that girl,” he declared after a second. Taliesin couldn’t stifle his laugh quickly enough, but Lucas just sat back with a sigh, watching Nicholas lead Isabelle through the dance. Nicholas did dance well, Taliesin noted, remembering his own bumbling steps earlier in the evening.
“Don’t look now, but mother’s coming over here again,” Lucas warned, sitting up straight on the sofa. Taliesin briefly contemplated sitting on the sofa properly, now that Nicholas had abandoned his seat, but decided against it and just smoothed down the front of his jacket again.
“What are you two doing over here?” Queen Eliza asked suspiciously, her lace-gloved hands coming to rest on her hips, above the voluminous swell of her icy blue skirts. “Certainly –”
“So that’s where you got off to, Eliza,” King William declared cheerfully, cutting off the scolding Taliesin and Lucas had been about to receive. Eliza’s face smoothed into a smile and she carefully ruffled her skirts into place as she turned to meet William. “Have you had a chance to talk to the ambassador from Lagan? Oh, Taliesin, there you are. Having a good time?”
Taliesin nodded, taking a sip of his wine glass as his mother sighed. A man stood slightly behind his father, his skin the same dark color that Mikhail’s was. Mikhail’s skin was a few shades darker, Taliesin decided after a few seconds of discreet study.
“…and these are two of my sons, Lucas and Taliesin,” Eliza was saying. Taliesin offered a polite smile and echoed Lucas’s words of welcome. “Are you enjoying your stay at the palace so far?”
“Yes, your majesty,” the ambassador said, and Taliesin must have missed his introduction because he didn’t know the man’s name. “The gardens, in particular, are quite lovely.”
Eliza beamed, and Taliesin smothered a smile. The ambassador had just scored a few points there.
“You said you had something you wanted to ask?” William spoke up before Eliza could begin gushing about her gardens.
“Yes,” the ambassador spoke up, frowning a little. “I hate to ask here, but it’s more of a personal matter than a business matter.”
“Go on,” William encouraged, pausing to snag a few flutes of sparkling champagne. He passed one off to Eliza, who murmured a soft thank you, her attention not leaving the ambassador. Taliesin blinked, curious, but he was getting tired. Surely he’d been at the party long enough to sneak off to bed without suspicion soon.
“One of my kinsmen emigrated here a few years back,” the ambassador said slowly. “I haven’t been able to get in touch with him since shortly after he reached shore. From what I’ve been able to learn, he met up with one of your palace guards around that time, but I haven’t been able to find a trace of him since.”
“Do you know the name of the guard you’re looking for?” Eliza asked, hooking her arm through William’s. “We’ll do what we can to help, though if it’s been a few years the guard may have moved on to something else.”
“His name was Caspian, your majesty,” the ambassador supplied helpfully. “Caspian Tare.”
“Oh,” Taliesin blurted out, startled. “Um, that’s the name of my guard.”
The ambassador brightened, and Taliesin quickly shuffled together the pieces he knew and came up with Mikhail.
Only, Mikhail hadn’t been pleasant when Taliesin had asked after his past.
“I can ask after your kinsman if you like,” Taliesin offered slowly. “Or set up a meeting?”
“I would enjoy the opportunity to speak with the man myself,” the ambassador said, smiling widely.
“I’ll speak to him tomorrow,” Taliesin promised, curious despite Mikhail’s obvious aversion to speaking about his past.
“Thank you, your highness.” The ambassador bowed, smiling still, and Taliesin wondered if this would net him more information on Mikhail. Or if the ambassador was looking for Mikhail to convince him to go home.
His mother distracted the ambassador with a question about a plant or something, and Taliesin sipped distractedly at his wine. Lucas nudged him discreetly, gesturing to an abandoned sofa across the room. Taliesin smothered a smile, but let Lucas make their excuses and lead him across the ballroom.
Nicholas and Isabelle were still dancing, and Lucas watched them for a few minute before asking, “Have you met Mikhail?”
“Yes,” Taliesin said slowly. “You have?”
“Caspian used to be my guard when I was younger and only had to have one. I followed him to his card game night once, and Mikhail visited a few times when Caspian was with me during the daytime,” Lucas explained, looking more sober than he had before the ambassador had approached them.
“Oh,” Taliesin said, startled. He hadn’t thought about what Caspian had done before he’d guarded Taliesin from grabby hands and the weather. “So did I do okay? Should I have said something about Mikhail?”
“No, you did good,” Lucas muttered, frowning across the room to where the ambassador was still speaking with their mother. Sitting upright, he faced Taliesin squarely. “Let Mikhail make the choice whether to tell Ivan that he’s here.”
“I was planning to,” Taliesin said, stifling a yawn poorly. “He didn’t seem too happy when I asked him about what he did before he gardened, so I didn’t think he’d want just anyone to know where he is.”
“Smart boy,” Lucas said, grinning. “Do you talk to Mikhail often?”
“What?” Taliesin asked, startled, and then to his horror, blushed. Lucas laughed delightedly, nearly knocking over his goblet of wine.
“Is he the one you like? And you don’t think he likes you back?” Lucas asked, and Taliesin buried his face in his hands, shaking his head. Lucas laughed again, throwing an arm around his shoulders and pulling him closer. “It’s okay, Tal. I have a secret plan.”
“No, you don’t,” Taliesin refuted. “No secret plans, please.”
“It worked for Marissa,” Lucas protested. Taliesin stared at him blankly, not having any clue what he was talking about. “She was pining over some dandy or another –”
“Marissa will beat you worse than I will if you keep spreading such rumors about her,” Nicholas announced gravely, making Taliesin jump. Isabelle laughed softly, taking the seat on the sofa that Nicholas guided her to, next to Lucas.
“I will curb my tongue then,” Lucas replied glibly, winking at Isabelle. “Marissa is fierce.”
“She has to deal with all of us,” Taliesin pointed out. “Of course she’s fierce.”
Nicholas laughed, gesturing him up. “Come along, Taliesin, there’s someone you need to meet.”
“Okay,” Taliesin accepted, climbing to his feet and leaving his wine goblet on a nearby table. He waved goodbye to Lucas and Isabelle, but they were already debating whether or not Isabelle was actually going to dance with Lucas tonight and didn’t notice.
“Who do I need to meet?” Taliesin asked as Nicholas led him away.
“No one,” Nicholas answered, shrugging. “Isabelle just asked for some time alone with Lucas. I like her.”
“She’s nice,” Taliesin agreed, covering his mouth as he yawned again.
“You can head out now, if you like,” Nicholas said, surveying him critically. “The ball’s more than half done, and you look like you could use some sleep.”
“I…” Taliesin began to protest, but left off when sense caught up to him. He didn’t really want to hang around and make anymore small talk. “Then I think I will.”
“Good choice,” Nicholas commended. “Breakfast will be later tomorrow, in the blue dining room.”
“Okay,” Taliesin accepted, smiling. “Goodnight, Nicholas.”
“Goodnight,” Nicholas replied, looking amused as he stopped at the grand entrance of the ballroom. Taliesin stepped through, out into the darker hallway, and headed back to his rooms.
~~@ @~~
Taliesin woke up the next morning with a sore throat, an aching chest, and a congested nose. Taking a deep breath only made him cough, and Taliesin barely mustered the energy to tug his blankets back up to his chin before he fell asleep again.
Tamati woke him up later, but Taliesin mumbled something at him and pulled the covers over his head. He really needed to get up – there were things he had to do today, he knew, even if he couldn’t really make himself remember any of them at the moment.
More sleep would obviously make his memory clearer and his head less fogged. Taliesin shifted to get more comfortable under his blankets, relaxing even though he couldn’t breathe especially well and his head hurt.
He was just about to drift off to sleep when a cool hand settled against his forehead. Taliesin blinked his eyes open to see Caspian kneeling next to his bed, looking concerned. And that was something – there was something he had to tell Caspian.
“Did you drink too much last night?” Caspian was asking, and Taliesin shook his head, coughing into his hand. It was harsh and ragged and Taliesin winced because wet coughing was always worse than dry coughing. “I’m sending for a doctor, Tal.”
“Okay,” Taliesin muttered unhappily, mustering the energy to move. “Caspian, there was, last night, at the ball –” Taliesin cut off with a sneeze, and Caspian shook his head, his blissfully cool hand pressing against Taliesin’s forehead again.
“It’s not important,” Caspian said as Taliesin sniffled. “Just rest until the doctor gets here.”
“Don’t tell my mother,” Taliesin whispered, wincing.
“We’ll see what the doctor says,” Caspian hedged, drawing the blankets back over Taliesin’s shoulders. Taliesin nodded, because that was as good an answer as any.
“The Lagan ambassador wants you,” Taliesin managed to say before his voice dropped out completely. Making a face, Taliesin shoved his blankets down and sat up, propping himself against his pillows and the headboard of the bed.
“Here,” Caspian said, handing him a glass of water. Taliesin took it gratefully, coughing raggedly to clear his throat again. He downed half the glass quickly, sagging against his pillows after. “What’s this about the Lagan ambassador?”
“He wants to talk to you,” Taliesin said, taking another swallow of the deliciously cool water. “He’s looking for Mikhail, I think.”
“Did he say that?” Caspian asked calmly, and Taliesin shook his head, slumping a little more miserably.
“He said he was looking for a kinsman of his. And that the last link he could find was you, a few years ago or something,” Taliesin elaborated as best he could. “Lucas said Mikhail.”
“To the ambassador?” Caspian asked, gently taking the glass from Taliesin’s hands and refilling it.
“To me,” Taliesin said, shaking his head. “He wants to meet with you today.”
“Alright.” Caspian handed him the glass of water and then stood, frowning at Taliesin with concern. “Try not to fall asleep. I’ll be right back.”
Taliesin nodded, wrapping both hands around the water glass. Sipping at the water more slowly, he watched Caspian leave the room. He must have sent Tamati after the doctor, Taliesin decided, since there was no sign of the servant.
It took the doctor a short eternity to show up. Taliesin was having problems not falling asleep again. He’d set the glass of water on his nightstand so he wouldn’t spill it in his bed.
The doctor was short, with a thick, close-cropped beard. His hair was liberally sprinkled with grey, and he smelled strongly of bitter medicine. Taliesin didn’t recognize him, but he wasn’t familiar with the doctors of the palace.
“Fetch water for tea,” the doctor ordered Tamati as he stepped into Taliesin’s bedroom. “And get some food for him, too.”
Caspian followed the doctor back in, looking grim as he watched the doctor fuss over to Taliesin’s side.
“What’s wrong with you?” The doctor asked brusquely, scrutinizing him intently. “Fever, obviously, from the flush in your cheeks. Sore throat? Having problems breathing? Coughing?”
Taliesin nodded, coughing again. The doctor hummed thoughtfully, narrowing his eyes as he studied Taliesin.
“When was your last bout of sickness, then?” The doctor asked, dropping his heavy black bag on Taliesin’s bed.
“Um,” Taliesin said, thinking. He’d been at the summer house for nearly the entire winter without getting more than a few sniffles. “Fall, maybe?”
“Good,” the doctor declared, fishing out a few bottles. One he let drop to the bed next to his bag, but the others he put back, scowling. “Ah, here we are.” He dropped a thick leather pouch on the bed next to the bottle and zipped up his bag. “You’ll have to sit up more.”
Taliesin nodded, shifting into a sitting position. The doctor, despite his gruff manner, was gentle in his poking and prodding. He hummed thoughtfully, and Taliesin could actually smell the garlic on his breath as he poked at Taliesin’s neck.
“As I thought. You’ve got a cold,” the doctor announced. Taliesin couldn’t help but laugh a little. It quickly dissolved into more coughing, and the doctor absently rubbed his back. “Just rest, fluids, and make sure to eat. I’ll leave you some herbs to steep for tea that will help with your throat and the headache. They’ll make you drowsy, but take them anyway.”
Taliesin nodded, sighing as the coughing abated. He hated getting sick.
“I’ll make sure,” Caspian said from the doorway. Taliesin nodded again, sagging against his pillows.
“Tea leaves are in here.” The doctor held up the leather pouch. “If your coughing gets too bad, add a dash of this to the tea,” the doctor instructed, holding up the bottle. “I’ll be back in a bit to check on you.”
Taliesin just nodded once more as the doctor set the tea leaves and bottle on the nightstand.
“Thank you,” he said hoarsely, because this doctor might’ve been brusque, but he wasn’t mean, and Taliesin appreciated that.
“You’re welcome, highness,” the doctor sketched a bow, and then let himself out. Caspian followed him out, returning a moment later, but Taliesin was already asleep again.
~~@ @~~
Taliesin woke up to loud voices in his sitting room. It took him a moment to force the sound into something recognizable, and even then he couldn’t really make out the words. Whoever it was, they were loud. Taliesin groaned softly, his head throbbing, and tried to bury his face in his pillow. That only made things worse, and reluctantly he pushed away the covers and stumbled out of bed.
His head spun, but it settled after a moment, and the ache in his head just joined the other aches in his body. Crossing the room slowly, Taliesin paused with his hand on the doorknob, the voices – one voice, actually – more distinct now that he was closer.
“ – shouldn’t have brought me here, Caspian!”
Taliesin blinked, frowning. That sounded like – but no, there was no reason for Mikhail to be in his sitting room, so he was mistaken. Caspian said something, but his tone was lower so Taliesin couldn’t make out the words. He felt a little bit guilty for eavesdropping, but his muddled brain told him it was fair because they’d woken him up. Leaning his forehead against the door, Taliesin shut his eyes and tried not to sneeze or cough.
“That doesn’t mean anything, and you know it,” the person who sounded like Mikhail snapped loudly. He sounded closer to Taliesin’s door than Caspian did. “It’s bad enough that I work in the palace, that even you know who I am, but to get involved with a prince would be pure idiocy.”
Caspian sounded steady and reasonable, with whatever he was saying. Taliesin smiled faintly, not bothering to try and interpret what was going on. He’d listen and figure it out later, when his head wasn’t stuffed with cotton.
“I will not do any such thing,” the person-who-wasn’t-Mikhail protested. And it definitely wasn’t Mikhail, because Mikhail didn’t get that cranky. He just narrowed his eyes but didn’t actually say anything in protest. At least, around Taliesin he didn’t. Taliesin sighed, leaning against the door more. He was tired.
“Because I – because yes, you’re right,” not-Mikhail said snappishly, and Taliesin could almost hear the narrow-eyed stare that would accompany that statement. If it were Mikhail and not some stranger yelling at Caspian in his sitting room. “But it doesn’t change anything.”
Taliesin sighed, turning his head to press his cheek against the door. Perhaps he could sleep here – but no, he’d fall over. He just had to get them to be quiet and then he could go back to bed.
Pushing away from the door reluctantly, Taliesin slowly opened it. He leaned against the door’s edge heavily, peering into the sitting room curiously. Oddly, the person-who-wasn’t-Mikhail looked surprisingly like him – though maybe not so surprisingly. He sounded like Mikhail too.
Not-Mikhail’s mouth fell open a bit, and Taliesin almost giggled because that was kind of funny. Caspian’s eyebrows rose and he started across the sitting room immediately. Taliesin almost expected not-Mikhail to make a break for it, but he didn’t move, just continued to gape.
“What are you doing up, Taliesin?” Caspian asked, gently but with an edge of scolding. Taliesin sighed, giving him a baleful look.
“You were loud,” Taliesin said, ignoring that his throat shredded the words almost beyond recognition. Not-Mikhail winced, either at the way the words sounded or the words themselves. Taliesin tried to smile reassuringly, not really sure how to comfort not-Mikhail but wanting to try anyway.
“Back to bed,” Caspian ordered. “I’ll send for some water for tea.”
“Okay,” Taliesin agreed, coughing to clear the itch in his throat. It didn’t work, just set off a small coughing fit that had him leaning against the door for even more support. Caspian sighed, and Taliesin fought to swallow the coughs before they could get worse. He didn’t want Caspian to tell his mother he was getting worse and needed to be shipped off to the summer house again.
“Tea?” Taliesin asked raggedly, wincing at the barely-there sound of his own voice. Caspian studied him for a moment before nodding, turning away and leaving Taliesin stranded, leaning against the door for support.
“Mikhail, help Taliesin back to bed please,” Caspian said in a tone of voice that was more order than not. Mikhail shot Caspian a dark look, and Taliesin blinked, because it didn’t make any sense for Mikhail to be in his rooms, yelling at Caspian.
“Come on,” Mikhail said as he reached Taliesin. “Back to bed before you collapse.”
“I’m fine,” Taliesin mumbled, even though it was blatantly not true. Mikhail rolled his eyes, wrapping a warm hand around Taliesin’s elbow and transferring his weight from the door to him. Taliesin tried not to lean on him too much, but he couldn’t really help it. He was exhausted.
“You were fine yesterday,” Mikhail said as he led Taliesin across the room slowly. Taliesin sniffled, frowning miserably.
“It always happens like this,” Taliesin said slowly, clearing his throat with a too-loud noise and filling his mouth with a sour, phlegmy taste. “Ulgh.”
Mikhail laughed softly, and Taliesin realized abruptly that he was dressed in nightclothes, in front of Mikhail. His cheeks burned hotter, and he would’ve stumbled but Mikhail had a firm grip on his arm and didn’t let him fall.
“Careful,” Mikhail warned, casually slipping an arm around Taliesin’s waist. Taliesin had a fever, that’s why his cheeks were so painfully warm, and Mikhail’s arm was there only to support him and keep him from falling.
“Are you going to be okay?” Mikhail asked as they reached the bed. He let Taliesin go slowly, and Taliesin crawled into his now-cool sheets.
“Haven’t died yet,” Taliesin grumbled, propping himself against the headboard and tugging the blankets up over his lap. He wasn’t going to lay down, because then he would fall asleep. And if Mikhail was here, he was going to stay awake.
Mikhail smiled a little, shaking his head. “You should sleep.”
“I already did,” Taliesin protested, his voice giving out in the middle of ‘already.’ Mikhail rolled his eyes but smiled a little wider.
“That doesn’t mean it wouldn’t do you good to sleep more,” Mikhail said, and he was right but Taliesin wasn’t giving up that easily.
“So will liquid,” Taliesin said, his voice barely there. “I want to go to the garden.”
“When you’re better,” Mikhail said softly, looking faintly awkward standing next to the bed.
“Sit,” Taliesin patted the blankets. Mikhail sighed, shaking his head.
“I should go,” Mikhail said instead, the opposite of what he should be saying.
“Oh,” Taliesin managed the one syllable, barely putting any volume behind it. “Don’t want to catch it.”
“No, I wouldn’t want that. I have work I should be doing,” Mikhail said, frowning now. He didn’t look happy, and Taliesin wondered how much of that had to do with the strange conversation he’d saved away to think about later – if he remembered any of it later.
“Sorry,” Taliesin apologized, wondering if it was his fault Mikhail wasn’t working. He didn’t think he’d interrupted Mikhail today, but Mikhail was normally in the gardens this time of day so perhaps he should be there right now.
Mikhail opened his mouth to say something, a strange expression on his face, but Taliesin cut him off with another fit of coughing that he couldn’t suppress, burying his face in both his hands. After a few seconds a soothing hand rubbed against his back. Taliesin just coughed, unable to do anything else. His throat felt too raw, and he tasted blood in the back of his mouth.
“Don’t they have a doctor tending you?” Mikhail asked, not sounding pleased. Taliesin nodded, taking a slow deep breath as the coughing abated. His chest ached from the effort of expanding that far.
“He’ll be back soon,” Taliesin whispered, not daring to clear his throat to get more volume. It was too likely he’d set off another coughing fit. “His medicines make me sleep.”
“You need to rest,” Mikhail told him firmly, still rubbing his back. Taliesin sighed, wrinkling his nose against a sneeze.
“I hate this,” Taliesin muttered after a moment, half-lulled into sleep by Mikhail’s hand and the warmth of his covers, pooled in his lap.
“You’ll get better,” Mikhail said softly, his hand withdrawing. Taliesin sighed again, feeling colder without the touch. “Just don’t push it.”
“I know,” Taliesin mumbled. It wasn’t like he hadn’t done this a hundred times before, usually worse. “You can go if you don’t want to be here.”
“If I didn’t want to be here, I wouldn’t be,” Mikhail said slowly, sitting down next to Taliesin. Taliesin blinked, but didn’t say anything. He might scare Mikhail away and he didn’t want to do that.
“I think I found a plant to fill in the irises,” Mikhail said after a moment. Taliesin straightened a little from where he’d been slowly slumping towards the mattress.
“Oh?” Taliesin asked, but before Mikhail had a chance to elaborate, Caspian entered the room followed by one of the serving maids who always brought Taliesin’s food when he wanted it in his room. Mikhail’s mouth snapped shut and he scowled at Caspian. Taliesin blinked, tucking his blankets under his chin as the middle-aged woman set the tray on the nightstand next to Taliesin. She paused, glancing at Taliesin before moving to pour him a cup of tea.
“How do you like it, your highness?” She asked gently, dropping a generous teaspoon of sugar into it without his answer.
“Two sugars and a bit of cream,” Caspian answered for Taliesin, smiling faintly (though be it for the serving woman, Taliesin, or completely in the face of Mikhail’s unhappy expression, Taliesin didn’t know).
“There you go.” She handed Taliesin off the steaming cup of tea. “Get well soon, your highness.”
“Thank you,” Taliesin croaked, managing a faint smile as he carefully accepted the cup of tea. Cradling it in his hands, he brought it close but didn’t try drinking any of it yet. He wasn’t going to burn his throat on top of the ravages sickness had done it.
“I should go,” Mikhail said, standing abruptly as the serving woman slipped out the door. Taliesin nodded slowly, not willing to keep Mikhail here when he obviously didn’t want to be.
“You should stay,” Caspian said, and Taliesin watched, a little fascinated as they glared at each other.
“I should sleep,” Taliesin decided, sipping at the tea. It was hot, and he swallowed quickly. It soothed the itch in his throat though, and he settled the cup closer so he could feel the steam on his face.
Caspian looked like he might try to argue the point, but he wasn’t stupid so he didn’t press it.
“Thank you for coming to visit,” Taliesin said to Mikhail, who looked faintly guilty but just nodded.
“Get better soon,” Mikhail said, standing up quickly. Taliesin unwrapped one hand from the cup to wave briefly, and Caspian followed Mikhail from the room unsubtly. Taliesin sighed, leaning back against the headboard and wishing for the billionth time that he would get better quickly and never get sick again.
~~@ @~~
Lucas showed up mid-afternoon, looking happy and healthy. He woke Taliesin up, and Taliesin glared at him, annoyed because that just wasn’t fair.
“Mother’s having kittens,” Lucas announced, sprawling across the empty half of Taliesin’s bed. “Who sent you magnolias?”
“What?” Taliesin asked grumpily, trying to pull the covers over his head. He wanted to sleep more.
“Magnolias,” Lucas repeated, looking amused. “They look like the ones from Mikhail’s garden.”
Taliesin blinked, his cheeks heating. Because of the fever, of course, and nothing else. Shifting around, Taliesin forced himself to sit up. Sure enough there was a small vase with whole magnolia blossoms sitting on the nightstand.
“How many kittens?” Taliesin asked, his voice rough from sleep and the lump in his throat. “Is there more tea?”
“I’ll get it,” Lucas said, getting up quickly. “Only a few. She may have more later. I think she plans to come visit you this evening, after dinner. I suggest you pretend you’re asleep.”
“I probably will be asleep,” Taliesin grumbled, accepting the cup of tea Lucas handed off to him. It was warm and steaming, and had the slightly bitter taste of medicine.
“Sleep is good for you,” Lucas said cheerfully, sitting back down on the empty side of the bed. “Want to hear the gossip?”
Taliesin nodded. Even if Lucas seemed to make half of it up, it was still entertaining.
“Lady Wellworth didn’t make an appearance last night, ostensibly because she wasn’t feeling well, but her lady’s maid claims it was because of the talk she had with Daniel a few days back,” Lucas divulged, grinning. “Daniel didn’t have anything to say on the matter when I asked him this morning, but he was busy throwing things at me so I could be mistaken.”
“Why was Daniel throwing things at you?” Taliesin asked, taking another sip of tea. He had a pretty good idea though – Lucas wouldn’t be able to keep away from Daniel’s reunion with Vincent.
“I might have barged into his bedroom this morning.” Lucas snickered, winking at Taliesin roguishly. “Though Vincent didn’t seem half as upset about it.”
“Lucas!” Taliesin scolded, nearly upsetting his tea. He couldn’t help but laugh though, carefully cradling his teacup so it didn’t spill. “That’s not very nice.”
“I didn’t think Vincent was going to be there?” Lucas offered. “But Daniel kicked me out on my rear quickly enough, never fear.”
“Did you get to dance with Isabelle?” Taliesin asked, coughing to clear his throat.
“The last dance. We talked right up until then, too,” Lucas said with a dreamy smile. “You have to get better soon, mother wants us to have lunch with her family.”
“Okay,” Taliesin agreed, the medicine in his tea making him drowsy again.
“Did you remember to mention something to Caspian about the Lagan ambassador?” Lucas asked, nimbly taking the nearly empty teacup from Taliesin’s hands. “I can talk to him if you haven’t.”
“I did, this morning,” Taliesin confirmed, sighing. That was probably why Mikhail had shown up earlier. The magnolias probably weren’t from him, either, but from one of his siblings or some noble trying to make a good impression.
“Good,” Lucas said, gently ruffling his hair. “Get some rest, Tal. I’ll get the librarian to send some books here so you’re not bored when you’re awake.”
“Thank you,” Taliesin muttered, relaxing into his bedcovers again. Lucas hovered for another minute before letting himself out of the room. Taliesin smiled a little, happy that things were going well for Daniel and Lucas with Vincent and Isabelle. Taliesin sighed, and pointedly did not think about Mikhail as he fell asleep.
~~@ @~~
Taliesin didn’t begin to feel better for a few days. It seemed like forever, but Taliesin had done worse at the summer house so he wasn’t complaining. He got visits from every one of his family members, at least twice, though Lucas held the record of visiting ten times in the three days Taliesin was stuck in bed.
The fourth day, he relocated to the sitting room, dressed in casual clothes and wrapped in a blanket. There were more plants out here, vibrantly green and potted, and Taliesin had given up trying to figure out how they were getting there. Caspian hadn’t said a word about them, just smiled when Taliesin had asked.
Taliesin was curled in one of the fireside armchairs when Mikhail visited again. He was reading one of the books Lucas had purloined from the library, something about great military campaigns of the northern tribes.
“Should you be up?” Mikhail asked suspiciously, crossing the room to set the pot he carried near the fireplace.
“I was going stir-crazy,” Taliesin admitted, checking his page number before shutting the book. “I can’t go out of the suite yet, but I can wander around my rooms as much as I like.”
“Right,” Mikhail muttered, frowning a little as he fussed with the plant for a minute.
“What it is?” Taliesin asked, tugging his blanket closer around his shoulders. “Oh, and thank you. Did you bring all the plants?”
“It’s a heliconia. They prefer warm climates, so keep it near the fireplace and water it often,” Mikhail ordered, straightening. “You seemed to enjoy the plants outside.”
“I did. Do,” Taliesin said, smiling. “I like these, too. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” Mikhail said gruffly, looking awkward as he stood by the fireplace.
“Can you stay a bit?” Taliesin asked without thinking. Coughing a bit, he made a face. “Being sick is really boring.”
Mikhail laughed at that, hesitating a moment before taking a seat in one of the nearby armchairs. “I don’t know how entertaining I can be, my lord.”
“My name is Taliesin,” Taliesin said, narrowing his eyes at Mikhail. “You know that.”
“I do,” Mikhail said slowly, his face closing off. Taliesin sneezed, fishing out a handkerchief. He blew his nose turning back to Mikhail to make a face at him.
“You call Caspian by name,” Taliesin said, trying not to sound like he was being a whiny brat.
“I do,” Mikhail repeated, and Taliesin sighed, slumping in his seat.
“You don’t have to humor me,” Taliesin admonished, wishing it didn’t hurt so much to say that. Because even if it was Mikhail just humoring him, at least he got to talk to Mikhail, right? “If you’re here just because I’m a noble and – and you don’t think you should brush me off, then go away.”
“What has Caspian been telling you?” Mikhail asked, looking annoyed. “Do you think I fill the rooms of every noble who pesters me with plants?”
“Other nobles pester you?” Taliesin asked, his eyes widening. No wonder Mikhail got so annoyed with him.
“Yes,” Mikhail said, shrugging. “I’ve been offered jobs on estates across the country.”
“Oh.” Taliesin bit his lip, fidgeting with the hem of the blanket wrapped around his shoulders.
“Taliesin,” Mikhail said, frowning at him. “You’re not stupid. I’m still working here, in case you hadn’t noticed. And the only other person I’ve given a plant to in this palace is Caspian.”
“Really?” Taliesin asked, his cheeks heating. Ducking his head, he coughed a few times. “But I don’t understand. Why wouldn’t you call me by name?”
“Because getting close to a prince of the realm is not a good idea,” Mikhail muttered, leaning back in his chair. “What has Caspian told you about me?”
“Um.” Taliesin bit his lip, thinking back. “Not a lot. You live in the room next to him. He’s friends with you.” Close friends, if he was asking about Taliesin’s intentions like an older brother. Taliesin was keeping that to himself, though.
“I know you’re from Lagan and that you don’t like to talk about your past. You like plants,” Taliesin listed off. “Did Caspian talk to you about the Lagan ambassador?”
“What?” Mikhail asked, sitting up suddenly. “What about the Lagan ambassador?”
“Um,” Taliesin said, startled at the tension radiating from Mikhail. “He was looking for Caspian, in search of a kinsman of his?”
Mikhail cursed, standing up suddenly. He stalked across the room before Taliesin could say anything more, and yanked open the door to the hallway.
“Get in here,” Mikhail snapped, stepping back so Caspian could come into the sitting room from his post in the hallway. “Why the hell didn’t you tell me?”
“I was planning to,” Caspian said slowly, shutting the door behind him. “Eventually.”
“Eventually,” Mikhail mimicked angrily. “You didn’t think it was important for me to know there’s someone here, in the same building, looking for me?”
“Sorry,” Taliesin offered when Caspian glanced at him with a frown. “I thought you would have said something.”
“I haven’t had a chance.” Caspian shrugged. “You were sick.”
“I’ve been by here a dozen times!” Mikhail exclaimed, then seemed to realize what he’d said. Taliesin stared, startled. His cheeks heated again, and Taliesin tried not to think about what that meant.
“Yet I bet you haven’t had a chance to tell Taliesin –” Caspian began, narrowing his eyes.
“Don’t you even,” Mikhail ordered, his back tensing.
“Then tell him,” Caspian snapped angrily. Taliesin stared because he’d only ever seen Caspian annoyed once, the day of the ball, and he was much, much angrier now. “And I’ll tell you what happened when I spoke with Ivan.”
“That’s not fair,” Mikhail contested hotly.
“If you make me tell him, I won’t tell you about Ivan,” Caspian replied, crossing his arms. For a moment, Taliesin thought Mikhail was going to do something stupid, like hit Caspian (stupid, because though Mikhail was better muscled than Taliesin, he had nothing on Caspian).
“Fine,” Mikhail agreed sharply after a moment. “Get out.”
Caspian nodded, turning on his heel and letting himself back out into the hallway. Mikhail sighed, giving the door a last glare before trudging back across the room to where Taliesin still sat.
“I can pretend you told me?” Taliesin offered, because whatever it was, Mikhail wasn’t happy about being forced to share it.
“Caspian would know,” Mikhail muttered, looking annoyed and… nervous. Taliesin blinked, shutting up. He was curious, he’d admit that.
“You’re not really like any noble I’ve had the misfortune to meet,” Mikhail said after a long moment. “Even Lucas isn’t…”
“Isn’t what?” Taliesin asked, confused. That didn’t seem like a likely place to start if Mikhail was revealing his secret past.
“Like you,” Mikhail said quietly. He stared at Taliesin for a moment, and Taliesin just looked back, not any more knowledgeable than he had been before Caspian left. Mikhail muttered something under his breath that sounded like a curse before abruptly approaching Taliesin’s chair.
“Se tari diev,” Mikhail said solemnly, in Laganese. Taliesin’s eyes widened, but he didn’t get a chance to say anything before Mikhail bent down and kissed the corner of his mouth gently. Then he was gone, crossing the room to the door and Taliesin’s mind scrambled to catch up.
“You can’t just – Mikhail!” Taliesin complained, nearly tripping over his blanket in the scramble to stand up. Mikhail stopped by the door, glancing back with a blank expression.
“You can’t just say you like me and then run off,” Taliesin said, abandoning his blanket in the chair next to his book.
“I need to know what Caspian knows,” Mikhail said, frowning a little.
“Oh, right,” Taliesin muttered, running his hands through his hair and fighting the blush he could feel rising to his cheeks again. “Um, don’t go anywhere? I can go into the bedroom while you talk? But don’t go.”
Mikhail smiled, his face relaxing, and Taliesin couldn’t help but smile back.
“You can listen,” Mikhail decided, turning back to the door. He opened it and gestured Caspian inside.
Caspian stepped in, ignoring Mikhail to fix his gaze on Taliesin. “Did he tell you?”
Taliesin nodded, smiling a little but not elaborating. Taliesin wasn’t going to kiss and tell – even if Lucas would want him to.
“Good,” Caspian declared as Mikhail shut the door behind him.
“What did Ivan say?” Mikhail demanded, and Taliesin carefully sat down before he got dizzy.
“He and your sister-in-law have been looking for you for six months,” Caspian said, frowning. “They tracked the ship you took, but lost the trail after you met up with me. He was rather insistent about finding you, though he seemed to accept that I just gave you a bit of money and some provisions before splitting ways with you.”
“Do you know why they’re looking for me?” Mikhail asked, scowling again. Taliesin watched, curious, but didn’t say anything.
“No,” Caspian replied. He paused, smiling a little. “Taliesin might know.”
“What?” Taliesin asked, straightening. “What might I know?”
Mikhail narrowed his eyes at Caspian. “Leave him out of this.”
“How well versed are you in foreign politics, Taliesin?” Caspian asked, ignoring Mikhail’s glower. “Specifically those in Lagan?”
“Passably, I suppose,” Taliesin said slowly, frowning. “The port rights are hotly contested right now, because three-decade contract we had with them just ended. There are no princesses of a suitable age for marriage, which is why Lucas gets to woo Isabelle. Why?”
“Do you know how they choose their ambassadors?” Caspian asked directly, smiling a little when Mikhail threw up his hands.
“I’m a royal cousin,” Mikhail snapped, glaring at Caspian. “I had an argument with my brother about how he was handling port regulations and decided I was better suited as far away as possible.”
“That makes sense,” Taliesin decided after a moment. “Is Ivan your brother?”
“Ivan is my brother,” Mikhail admitted, scowling. “Not the one I fought with, but he’s no better.”
“I don’t know why they would suddenly start looking for you again, unless they want your help with the port negotiations?” Taliesin offered. “But you’ve been away for three years, so that’s probably not it.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Mikhail grumped. “I’m still not speaking with Ivan.”
“What if he runs into you?” Taliesin asked softly, trying to imagine not talking to one of his brothers for three years. Even when he’d been sequestered at the summer house, they’d written and he’d gotten plenty of visits.
“I’ll worry about that if it happens,” Mikhail decided. “Did he say anything else?”
“Only that he was worried about you,” Caspian said, looking smug. Taliesin bit his lip, determined to not say anything one way or the other. It was Mikhail’s choice to make, not Taliesin’s.
“Right,” Mikhail muttered, leaning past Caspian to open the door. For a second, Taliesin thought he might be running off anyway, but he just held the door open and stared at Caspian expectantly.
“Don’t do anything too strenuous,” Caspian ordered Mikhail sternly. He was smiling though, and Taliesin blushed, before sneezing suddenly. “He’s still recovering.”
“Get out, Caspian,” Mikhail ordered, but he seemed less annoyed. Caspian winked at Taliesin before stepping out into the hallway. Mikhail shut the door behind him, frowning at it for a minute before crossing the room back to where Taliesin sat.
“Don’t say anything to Ivan about me, please,” Mikhail said slowly, watching Taliesin carefully.
Taliesin nodded, coughing a bit. “Did you do gardening in Lagan? Or is that something you picked up here?”
“I picked it up here,” Mikhail admitted, sitting down in the chair he’d previously abandoned. “Caspian dragged me back to the capital and set me to scribe work at first. That didn’t take, so I ended up apprenticed to one of the gardeners. He was the one in charge of that little garden first, before he got wooed away to work on some noble’s garden on the eastern border.”
“So he won’t really think to look for you in the gardens,” Taliesin interpreted. “And I won’t tell anyone about any of it? Except maybe Lucas, but he’s good at getting things out of me.”
Mikhail laughed, relaxing a bit. “You can tell Lucas, as long as he promises not to say anything as well.”
“I like you too, you know,” Taliesin said after a moment, biting his lip. “I just… it didn’t seem like - I thought you didn’t like me.”
“You’re a bad idea,” Mikhail muttered, shifting slightly. “You’re a prince, so any lover you take is going to be a big deal. Especially yours, since you have half the palace charmed anyway.”
“Not on purpose,” Taliesin protested. “Does that mean you want to not…” Taliesin trailed off, not sure how to put it. “I can leave you alone.”
Mikhail laughed quietly, shaking his head. “No, I’ve already tried ignoring it. Besides, Caspian will likely kill the both of us for being idiots.”
“Or lock us in here,” Taliesin suggested, smiling because Mikhail wasn’t running off.
“Or lock us in here,” Mikhail agreed. “Come here.”
“Oh, make the sick person move,” Taliesin muttered, but stood up anyway. He took the few steps to Mikhail’s seat quickly, stopping in front of him. “What?”
“Sit with me,” Mikhail requested, shifting slightly to the left. It didn’t make much room for Taliesin, but he allowed Mikhail to tug him into the chair anyway. He ended up half on Mikhail’s lap, his legs tucked over Mikhail’s. Mikhail’s arm was wrapped securely around his waist, and Taliesin didn’t even try to fight the blush that rose in his cheeks.
“Can you tell me about the plants?” Taliesin asked, lacing his fingers with Mikhail’s and doing his best to ignore how close they were.
“Maybe later,” Mikhail declined, pressing his lips to Taliesin’s cheek. “Unless you’d rather talk.”
“I’m still sick, you know,” Taliesin pointed out, turning his head to cough. “You’ll catch it if you kiss me.”
“I don’t care,” Mikhail replied, reaching up with his free hand to guide Taliesin’s face back towards him. “I think I’m probably doomed anyway.”
“True,” Taliesin murmured, smiling shyly. “But don’t be surprised if I taste like medicine.”
Mikhail laughed, brushing his lips against Taliesin’s. Taliesin shifted to face him better, squeezing Mikhail’s fingers as he drew Taliesin into another kiss. Mikhail’s arm tightened, drawing him just a little closer, and Taliesin gasped, ducking away quickly to sneeze.
“Sorry,” Taliesin said, sniffling as he straightened. Mikhail laughed, and Taliesin could feel his chest shake.
“I hope that’s the cold, and not an allergy to being kissed,” Mikhail said, pressing his lips to Taliesin’s forehead.
“I hope so too,” Taliesin grumbled, shifting in his seat so that he could lay his head against Mikhail’s shoulder. Mikhail didn’t complain, not even when Taliesin accidentally elbowed him in the ribs.
“Did you and your brothers fight often?” Taliesin asked quietly after a moment. Mikhail tensed a bit. “I’d be sad if I fought with my brothers.”
“We were always fighting, growing up,” Mikhail said after a minute. “I don’t imagine that anything Ivan has to say will be anything I want to hear.”
“That’s sad,” Taliesin said, twisting around to face Mikhail. “I wish you liked your brothers.”
Mikhail rolled his eyes, reaching out and gently toying with Taliesin’s hair. “I have Caspian. He’s more than enough brother for me.”
Taliesin laughed, holding still so Mikhail didn’t stop.
“Not all brothers are like you and yours,” Mikhail said, frowning a little. “Ivan and Dmitri aren’t bad people, but they… expect certain things of me that I’m not willing to give.”
“Oh.” Taliesin frowned, then ducked his head as the urge to sneeze overtook him again. “Nnrgh,” he grumbled, tugging loose his handkerchief.
“How long until you’re able to leave your rooms?” Mikhail asked, changing the subject with a smirk. “I think I’d like to take you to the observatory.”
“Have you been talking to Lucas?” Taliesin asked suspiciously, blushing faintly as he remembered his last trip to the observatory. “Or Caspian?”
“Both,” Mikhail replied, smiling widely. “They both come to this card game –”
“Does everyone but me?” Taliesin asked, making a face. “And I’ll go to the observatory with you, but you’d better not get fresh or I’ll sic Caspian on you.”
Mikhail laughed, leaning forward to kiss him quickly. “I don’t know that Caspian would stop me.”
Taliesin giggled, biting his lip to stifle the noise. Mikhail smiled widely, ducking his head to kiss Taliesin again. Taliesin stopped laughing, distracted by the kiss and by Mikhail’s soft touch as he tilted Taliesin’s head slightly, drawing the kiss deeper. Taliesin let out a soft, appreciative noise, pressing closer.
Mikhail pulled back after a few more kisses, pressing his lips to Taliesin’s forehead lightly.
“I should get back to work,” Mikhail said, not looking too thrilled about the idea.
“I should go back to bed,” Taliesin countered, not moving from his perch mostly in Mikhail’s lap. Taliesin shifted about again, this time taking care with his elbows, and rested his head on Mikhail’s shoulder again. “You should stay. You’re comfortable.”
Mikhail laughed quietly. He kissed the top of Taliesin’s head, but didn’t make any move to dislodge him. Taliesin smiled, letting his eyes shut as he listened to Mikhail breathe. It would be just as easy to rest here as it would be to rest in bed, Taliesin decided as Mikhail’s arms wrapped around his waist. And more pleasant besides.
